


Red Skies

by Nariva



Series: The Sivanas [2]
Category: Justice League (2017), Shazam! (2019)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Foster Family, Billy Batson Needs a Hug, Developing Relationship, Family Bonding, Father-Son Relationship, Friendship, Gen, Hope vs. Despair, Hugs, Hurt/Comfort, Mind Control, Out of Character, POV Alternating, Past Child Abuse, Protectiveness, Slow To Update, Space Battles, Thaddeus Being Pissed For Life At Mamaragan, Trauma, Very Slow to Update
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-12-18
Updated: 2021-02-12
Packaged: 2021-03-10 18:47:17
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 4,154
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28141860
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Nariva/pseuds/Nariva
Summary: As Thaddeus and Billy try to navigate a new home and team life, a massive asteroid enters a collision course for earth.
Relationships: Billy Batson & Justice League, Billy Batson & Thaddeus Sivana, Thaddeus Sivana & Justice League
Series: The Sivanas [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2061537
Comments: 8
Kudos: 23





	1. Reluctance - Billy

Billy stood in the middle of the grove. His hands tightened around the wizard's staff and he took deep, shuddering breaths. One word. That was all he needed to say. Just one word. Wonder Woman and Mr. Sivana stood in front of him as Superman and the Flash chatted a few feet away.

"Sh-" _It felt like he was on fire, like every nerve he had was being scorched!_ "Sha-" _Unable to fully move, all the boy could do was jerk and spasm as the Wizard spoke._ Billy pushed the staff away and scrambled back as it fell to the ground. "I- I can't. I don't want to!" Wonder Woman sighed as she knelt to pick the staff up. Her touch was reverent. Careful.

"You need learn to control your power," she told him.

"I said no!" He backed up another step, one foot shifting to face towards the safety of the tree line.

"I think we should take a break for today." Mr. Sivana told her.

"He must learn how to control the power he was given." Wonder Woman offered the boy the staff. Billy took another step back.

"Given?" Mr. Sivana's voice went smooth and sharp. Oh no. "That man didn't _give_ this to him. You heard what Billy told us - he was tricked!"

"You speak out of spite," she replied. "Now that he is gone, none can know what the wizard's last intentions were."

"I don't need him to be alive to guess. I know what he was thinking." Confident that neither would notice him leaving now, Billy moved to sit in the shade of the nearest tree as he watched Mr. Sivana and Wonder Woman continue to talk. Or... argue, in talking tones. His cheeks burned with embarrassment as he pulled his knees to his chest. Why couldn't he just do it? It was just a word, just _scared wrong_ \- Billy shuddered and rubbed at the goosebumps on his arms.

"Billy?" The boy looked up as Superman joined him in the shade. The superhero sat down at his side and leaned back against the tree. "Are you doing okay?" Billy sighed.

"I should be able to do it. I should, but..." He trailed off. "You wouldn't understand," the boy quietly said. They sat in silence for a long moment before the older man shifted towards him.

"It first happened when I was a little bit younger than you," Superman began. "It was just a regular day of class - I think we were learning about the history of Kansas. My classmates," he shook his head, "they just started... flickering." Billy looked up at the man. "My teacher, she was asking me something. I looked at her and I could see _through_ her. Her skull. Her lungs. Her heart. They kept flickering in front of my eyes. I didn't know what was going on," the man continued. "I ran away. Locked myself in the school closet and tried to shut everyone else out." He had? "I was the most scared I'd ever been," he confessed. "I thought the world was going to swallow me up, and then I heard it." Superman glanced at Billy out of the corner of his eyes and smiled. The boy shifted to straighten up.

"Heard what?"

"My mom's voice." Billy hunched his shoulders. "She stood outside the door and just... talked to me. She was my island. She made the world smaller." The man looked at him. The superhero's smile softened. "So it's okay. You can be scared of what's happening to you. I was." He looked at his hands. "Sometimes, I still am." He was? Billy reached down and fiddled with the grass at his side as he thought about it. The boy had never really considered it - what Superman had gone through. The man had always seemed bigger than life, _stronger_ than life.

"Sure," Billy muttered as he kept his eyes on the ground.

"Billy?" He looked up as Mr. Sivana walked towards them. "We're going to call it a day. Do you want to stop anywhere before we head home?"

"Could we go to McDonald's?" the boy asked.

"Uh, _yes_." Billy was surprised by the Flash's excitement. "You can never go wrong with the twenty piece McNugget deal. Never. Remember?" The speedster patted his stomach. "Snack hole? Oh." He looked at each of them. "Right. That was Batman, not you guys."

"I'd be fine with that," Superman agreed.

"What, you think I'm sharing?" The speedster shook his head. "No way. Those McNuggets are _mine_."

"Mc...Nugget?" Billy looked up at Mr. Sivana's weirdly questioning tone. Why was he saying it-? No.

"You've been to McDonald's, right?" he asked the man. Mr. Sivana just looked at him. No way!

"You've never been there?" Even with his mask up the Flash radiated disbelief. "That's it, we're going." Billy startled when he disappeared into thin air. He looked to Superman- He was gone too. Wonder Woman was as well. How did they do that? Mr. Sivana leaned forward and offered him his hand. Billy took it and pushed himself up as the man pulled.

"Thanks," Billy said as he brushed the grass off his jeans. "For.. you know..." Mr. Sivana gave him a small smile. "But seriously, you've never been to McDonald's?" The man shook his head. "You must've had such a weird childhood," Billy said. Mr. Sivana's smile tightened as they started back towards the man's car.

"Yes," he said. "That's one way of putting it."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I FINALLY HAVE A PLOT FOR THIS, WOOHOO! And it only took me a full year and then some lol.


	2. Chicken Nuggets - Thaddeus

As the two of them walked into the restaurant Thaddeus wrinkled his nose at the thick smell that hit them. Billy snickered at him, a boyish glint of expectation in his eyes. Thaddeus didn’t feel good about that. The others were already inside. Diana was speaking to the cashier at the register as the other men all waited to the side.

"I know what I want, but you should look at the menu." Billy said. As if that would help. The two of them moved to stand behind Diana.

"What are you thinking of getting?" Thaddeus asked the boy.

"Chicken nuggets. Their four pack meal." The man looked at the menu. Sandwiches of all sizes were there. Off to the left was a picture of some strange looking golden blobs. Thaddeus glanced at Billy. The boy grinned at him. "You do know what chicken nuggets looks like, right?" He clasped his hands behind his back and looked away.

"Of course." Billy's shoulders shook with silent laughter as Diana finished her order. She stepped aside to let them reach the counter. The cashier's smile froze on her face. Thaddeus frowned. Had he been recognized? The woman stepped back as her mouth silently worked. Without a word the cashier turned and hurried off to the back. She brushed past her manager, ignoring the taller man when he called out to her. Billy leaned forward to peer at the back part of the restaurant. He cocked his head.

"What do you think-" The boy started to say, but he stopped when the manager stepped up to the cash register.

"I'm sorry about that," the man apologized. "I'm afraid that Marilyn wasn't feeling well. If I could continue your order...?"

"It's fine." Thaddeus assured him. "Billy?"

"Uh," the boy cleared his throat. "I'll take a four piece chicken nugget meal, please."

"I'll take one as well," Thaddeus told the man. The manager nodded and entered their orders. Thaddeus was surprised by how cheap it came out to be. That... worried him a bit. Quality was always a contributor to cost. For this to be so cheap... No, he thought to himself as he handed the money over, surely it'd be fine. He couldn't picture Superman and Wonder Woman agreeing to eat at a place that had questionable food. As the group found and claimed a large enough table for them all, Thaddeus took an inner seat and Billy sat beside him. The Amazon and the alien sat side by side as the Flash slid in to take the last booth seat. They didn't have to wait long. That was another concern for the man, although he made himself smile as the others divvied out the meals. Thaddeus examined the small box and little container of fries that were set before him. He opened the lid to the box and felt a wave of apprehension. The gold blobs. He should've known. Billy popped his own box open and then turned to stare at the man. "Yes?"

"Are you going to try it?"

"Yes." Although he didn't wish to. The man reached for the knobby end of the closest hard looking blob and lifted it to his mouth. He took a small, cautious bite. _Disgusting_! Crunchy and chewy at the same time, and the _taste!_ Thaddeus forced a grin and took another bite as Billy and the Flash laughed. Wonder Woman gave him a sympathetic smile as Superman very clearly focused on keeping his eyes on his own food. Thaddeus caught the corners of the man's eyes crinkle in silent amusement. 

* * *

The man shut his empty container and grimaced as he pushed it away. Chicken nuggets had been an... experience. He sincerely hoped he'd never have to eat them again. Judging by the shared grins between Billy and the Flash, he knew he wouldn't be so lucky.

"What did you think?" The boy asked him. Thaddeus stayed quiet. That got a quiet snicker from Billy. Diana's phone dinged then and they watched as she pulled it out. The Amazon tapped at her screen and then looked up at the others.

"It's Bruce," she told them. "He's at the Gotham City Observatory right now, but he wanted us to look at these."

"What is it?" Thaddeus asked.

”He believes that there are more people like us out there," the Amazon told them as she set her phone down on the table. Thaddeus leaned forward as he watched her flick through the pictures. There was a man in a military uniform. A second picture had zoomed in on his eyes. Brown flecked with... red?

"Wait a second." Superman reached out to turn the picture back to the first one. "I know him. Why's Bruce looking into him?" The Flash reached out to flick back to the second photo. The younger man tapped two fingers against the brown red eyes.

"Maybe because of that?"

"He's not the only one," Diana said. A picture of two people were next. A tall man and woman in museum employee outfits. The next photo had focused in on the woman. She had been speaking to a class of young people - she'd held a shield out and was frozen mid gesture at the fine designs on it. The man was in the one after her. He'd been speaking to an older woman about a mounted sword. 

"So... is no one concerned that Batman's going full on stalker?" Barry asked.

"It seems to be in his nature," Wonder Woman said with a slight smile. The Flash thought about it and then nodded.

"Yeah. You've got a point there. Oh." The younger man looked between them all. "Don't tell him I said that, okay?" Billy grinned and Thaddeus smiled at the boy.

"Scout's honor," Superman promised. His playful tone made Barry narrow his eyes at the man. "Here," the alien bunched their empty wrappers together, "I'll get the trash." Seeing his chance, Thaddeus decided to take it.

"Billy, Clark; Barry - would you give Diana and me a moment?” Superman looked between him and Diana before nodding.

"Come on, guys," the alien said. He stood from his seat and picked up their tray. The Flash and Billy followed after the man.

"So like, I've been wanting to ask you this," the speedster began as they walked away, "but how _do_ people _not_ recognize you? I've just been waiting for people to mob us but they're-" The three disappeared into the growing throng of customers. Thaddeus turned back to Diana and the woman straightened in her seat. He watched as good humor faded into expectant patience.

"I assume that you wish to talk about your son."

"I do," he answered. The man looked at his hands as he considered how to broach the subject. "I've noticed that you act differently when it comes to him." Thaddeus met her gaze. "The training that you've given Lynn and me so far has been invaluable," he continued. "You've been patient; understanding. When you're around Billy, however, you become more... focused. Insistent. Why?" Diana sighed, her eyes going distant as she spoke.

"Billy bears the blessing of the Gods, Thaddeus. I understand that you and the others don't fully know how important that is - none of you have a true frame of reference for how strong the Gods were." She leaned forward. "You and Ms. Crosby carry fragments of that power - pieces of it that Billy saw fit to share with you, yet your son... If Billy were properly trained he would be powerful enough to rival me in combat, even at his young age. He could be Superman's equal." Why was she talking about that?

"Billy's _fourteen_." Thaddeus said.

"That is precisely why we must help him control his power," she insisted. "He is young and untested. He has no control over his gifts. If he were ever forced into a situation where he had to use them-"

"He won't be." Not while Thaddeus was around. "Billy's a teenager," he stressed, "he's not going to be fighting aliens from space. His biggest worry right now is about his math exam this Friday." Diana sat back and gave the man a small, almost sad smile.

"Look at our own group, Mr. Sivana. You, I, and Bruce - we decided our paths. We are the only ones who did so. The others? Their heroics were thrust upon them. That is why I wish to see Billy trained. So that if he were ever put into such a situation, he could _survive_ it, as they did." Thaddeus shook his head.

"You weren't there, Diana. You didn't see Billy's face when he transformed back into himself. He was terrified." The memory of the fear on the boy's face still made him angry. He closed his eyes and took a breath. The wizard was dead. Thaddeus opened his eyes to look at the woman again. "Scared out of his mind. I can understand what you're trying to get at but you're pushing him too hard, too fast."

"Then _help_ me," she implored him. "Billy was given the gifts of the Gods. I would only see to it that he knows how to use them if need be." Fine. If it would make her back off even a bit, Thaddeus would be willing to at least try. It wouldn't work. He knew that. Diana was refusing to understand that Billy's powers terrified him. If he could ease her into that reality...

"Then we need to move at Billy's pace." Thaddeus told her. "Can you agree to try that for a while?" She nodded. "Thank you."

"I do admire the way that you look out for him." Diana told him. "There are few men who would negotiate with an Amazon. You are a brave man, Thaddeus Sivana." She stood up and smiled at him. "I am glad that Billy has you." Diana turned and walked into the small crowd before Thaddeus could think of a response. He smiled at the praise for a brief moment before it faded to a frown. Would she still say that if she knew he'd killed his brother and father? Thaddeus doubted it. He pushed the thought from his mind as he stood. Billy would be waiting for him.


	3. Clouds - Thaddeus

He hadn't taken them straight home. Now that the Amazon had agreed to slower training, Thaddeus was certain that she'd expect actual results with Billy. He hadn't thought far enough ahead to figure out how to fully ease the boy into the idea, but he'd had an idea. Billy was terrified of transforming. Thaddeus couldn't blame him for that given the experiences he'd gone through while stuck in his Champion form. Acknowledging that the boy likely feared every aspect of his powers had led him to his plan. Though it was more of a first step, really.

"I'm pretty sure we're not homeless now, Mr. Sivana." Billy spoke up from the back seat. Thaddeus had parked them away from the public walking paths. He already knew where he wanted to take the boy. The site of his second flight.

"We're taking a detour," he replied.

"Through a park. When we live in the city." Thaddeus turned in his seat to look at the boy. He was trying to look nonchalant but the man could see how tense he was.

"I wanted to show you something," he said. Small rigid shoulders relaxed a touch.

"Yeah?"

"It's what I wanted to show you before - we just never got the chance." Thaddeus unbuckled his seatbelt and got out of the car. Billy followed after him. The two of them walked through the dry grass and crinkling leaves as he led the boy further into the park. Judging that they'd gone far enough Thaddeus turned to offer the boy his hand. Billy looked at it with no comprehension. "I'd like to fly with you," Thaddeus told him, trying not to feel suddenly awkward. What if the boy said no? What if he turned around and went back to the car? Thaddeus couldn't, _wouldn't_ force this, but... He wanted Billy to be open to at least one aspect of his power. Have one ability that he wasn't scared of.

"Really?"

"You don't have to if you don't want to," Thaddeus assured him. Billy's hands clenched and unclenched. His eyes darted back and forth between the man and the path back to the car. He took a breath.

"Just... Just a _little_ bit, okay?"

"Okay." Thaddeus had meant what he'd said to Diana. They would never help Billy past his fear if they forced things on him at their pace instead of his.

"You promise?"

"I do." Billy took another breath. This one was faster; more shallow.

"Okay. I guess. But we come down when I say to, okay?" The man nodded. Billy licked his lips. Reached out and avoided the man's hand to instead wrap his arms around Thaddeus in a stiff embrace. The man tried not to show any discomfort at the death grip he'd been locked in. It seemed that teens could be stronger than they looked. He shifted a bit and put on his best smile as he looked down at Billy. The boy didn't even look up at him. Just stared straight ahead at the smooth fabric of the man's coat with eyes a touch too big for Thaddeus's liking.

"Close your eyes," he murmured. Billy slowly obeyed him. The tight hold on his waist somehow became even tighter. Thaddeus cleared his throat as he returned the embrace. He tried for a hold that he thought wouldn't be too tight or loose. "Focus on the breeze." He kept his voice soft and gentle as they rose into the air. If there was only one thing he could share with the boy, he wanted it to be the freedom of flying. "Feel how weightless you are. We could go anywhere. Do anything."

"What..." Billy licked his lips again. Kept his eyes closed. "What was your first flight like?" Thaddeus thought back to that moment at his family's business. How wondrous it had been. Even if the Sins soured how he'd come to view most of his powers before this, flight was the one that had remained untouched.

"It was..." He struggled for words. " _Amazing_. I felt so light. Free. Everything else just... faded away. It was me and the clouds. The sun. The breeze." Billy opened his eyes and leaned back a bit to look at him.

"Did you touch the clouds?" Thaddeus smiled and nodded. "What did it feel like?" The man looked around and spotted a white cluster off to his left.

"Do you want to see?" Billy followed his gaze and then gave him a half nervous, half excited look. Thaddeus slowly angled them towards the clouds and kept his hold on the boy as reassuring as possible as they inched towards the cluster. He didn't want to move too quickly. They drifted alongside the large, puffy procession and the boy looked between him and the nearest cloud. Thaddeus was pleased to see that he looked more excited than nervous now. "Go ahead," he encouraged him. Billy's left arm tightened further around the man's back as he hesitantly reached for the cloud. A look of pure, childish wonder crossed the boy's face as his hand went through the whiteness. He turned back to Thaddeus.

"It's wet!" The man nodded again. Billy grinned then. He shifted to face the cloud again as he ran his hand back and forth through it. Thaddeus was certain that in this at least, he'd succeeded. They'd stay for as long as the boy wanted to.


	4. His Face - Marilyn

The sound of a car horn jerked Marilyn out of her thoughts. She slammed on the breaks just as the car ahead of her merged into her lane. That got her a chorus of horns and shouts from behind. Marilyn slowed as she pulled into the turn lane to her apartment's parking lot. God. Hands shook so hard she nearly missed her car's blinkers. She felt jittery. Cold. God. The woman sucked a breath in as she made it to her usual spot and parked. Her stomach tightened. She felt sick, felt something trying to make its way up her throat. The woman swallowed and tasted bitterness. Marilyn grimaced as she yanked on her car keys. They popped free and she struggled with her seat belt. It unclipped and the woman pushed her door open.

_Billy_.

Oh, God. God. His face. His eyes. _Billy_. She'd known the second he'd looked at her. Seen his little face in her nightmares more times than she could count. Always scared; accusing. _Why did you leave me?_ Her chest felt like ants were crawling 'round in it. God. Had he recognized her? She didn't think so.

"Shit, shit," Marilyn muttered as she nearly dropped her keys. She clenched them close as she pushed her car door shut. Home. She just- she had to get home. Billy. The woman took another breath. Hard; deep. He haunted her. She'd been so sure of her choice when she'd left him with the police. They'd do a better job than she ever could. Would give him a good home. A good family. A better mom. Been so sure. Should've never looked at those stupid articles. Seen the good _and_ the bad. Kids being abused. Social workers being called on to save adopted children. Police reports of neglect. Deaths. Marilyn had... had worried, after that. Billy had been such a bright kid. He deserved a nice, comfortable house. Other kids to grow up with and play with. Parents who actually had a future. She hadn't back then. Still didn't. Most people would be better than her, she'd known, but she'd wanted him to be safe.

Marilyn shivered in the cold as she walked. A few people called out in greeting. She ignored them as she made it to the door. He'd been right in front of her. Right there. After so long. She'd held off for as long as she could before she'd started looking into agencies. Not to take him back, take him from the good family he had to be with, just to see. That was all. See if he was safe. Happy. Had a mom and dad who were providing so much more than she had. The hallways were a dark blur as she walked. Marilyn hadn't been able to find him. There were so many children in the system. More than a few other Billy Batsons. Daddy hadn't helped. Hadn't even answered her calls. She'd eventually given up on finding him. Had to hope that he'd ended up with a good family. Someone better than her. And then he was back. Smiling as he talked to a tall bald man. Had the man been a friend of her- Billy's family? Had he been the husband? Was Billy happy with him? Safe? Looked after? She didn't know.

707\. Her, _their_ apartment. She had a stupid, hard time opening the door. Her stomach hurt so much. She got the door open.

"Travis?" No reply. Good. He wasn't home yet. The woman hurried down the dim hallway and headed for the bathroom. She shoved the door open and flicked the light on. Pushed the toilet lid up and dropped to her knees in front of it. Her stomach clenched again, tight and painful. She gripped the white plastic as she threw up.


End file.
